Learn how to craft promotions that not only drive immediate sales but also create lasting customer loyalty.

Estimated 7 min read

On this page:

• Attracting and Retaining Customers

• Discount Strategies that Drive Sales

• Strike-through Pricing

• Strategic Discount Types

• Value-Enhancing Alternatives to Discounts

• Creating Urgency and Excitement

• Beyond Discounts: Value-Based Promotions

• Shopify Planet App

• Value-Based Statement

• Giving Tuesday Participation

• Surprise and Delight Tactics

• Next Steps

Attracting and Retaining Customers

Effective promotional strategies can transform your business by bringing in new customers and keeping them coming back. When executed correctly, promotions not only boost sales—they also foster lasting relationships with your audience.

Well-crafted promotions act as powerful accelerators for your business. They help you:

• Capture attention in busy online marketplaces and crowded social feeds.

• Guide interested visitors directly to your product pages.

• Maintain strong sales momentum throughout the year, even during traditionally slow periods.

The key is selecting strategies that align with your specific business goals. Whether you’re preparing for Black Friday Cyber Monday (BFCM), launching new products, or looking to energize a typically slow season, this article provides practical examples to inspire your promotional creativity.

Discount Strategies that Drive Sales

Discounting remains one of the most effective ways to attract customers. Today’s discounting strategies have evolved to be more strategic and targeted than ever before.

Strike-through Pricing

Show savings to your customers by displaying sale prices alongside original prices, enhancing your product’s appeal and driving purchases. For example, if you sell t-shirts for $30, you can place previous season designs on sale for $10 at the beginning of a new season. Shopify’s Compare-at pricing enables both prices to be displayed alongside a sale message badge.

Strategic Discount Types

Maximize impact by combining different discount approaches:

• Discount combinations: Let customers benefit from multiple discounts simultaneously, increasing savings and conversion rates.

• Tiered discounting: Encourage customers to add more to their carts to unlock better deals, maintaining margins while offsetting acquisition costs.

• Buy One, Get One (BOGO): Incentivize new customers and reward loyal ones through effective BOGO promotions.

• Birthday discounts: Celebrate customers’ birthdays with personalized offers that drive goodwill and sales.

Value-Enhancing Alternatives to Discounts

Instead of relying solely on discounts, consider value-enhancing options:

• Product bundles: Curate collections of items that customers perceive as a deal, thus increasing average order value.

• Product recommendations: Utilize Shopify’s recommendation engine to suggest relevant products, naturally increasing order value.

• Gift with Purchase (GWP): Offer exceptional value without slashing prices, scaling gift value based on cart size.

Creating Urgency and Excitement

Drive immediate action with these techniques:

• Timed discounting: Create urgency with time-limited deals, such as starting with a 25% discount and decreasing it incrementally.

• Limited quantity exclusives (Flash sales): Generate buzz by intentionally limiting the quantity of exciting products.

• Daily online offers: Keep customers returning by featuring different daily deals amplified through social media.

• Enhanced checkout experience: Present additional offers directly in the checkout flow to capture missed opportunities.

Beyond Discounts: Value-Based Promotions

While discounts drive immediate sales, intentionally avoiding them can strengthen your brand’s position. Non-discount promotions often appeal to conscious consumers who prioritize values over savings.

Younger generations increasingly believe companies should address social and environmental issues, and many are willing to pay more for brands that align with their values.

Consider these non-discount promotional strategies:

• Shopify Planet App: Support climate solutions with every order shipment through the Shopify Sustainability Fund.

• Value-based statement: Some brands opt out of discounting during peak times to reflect their values, creating compelling brand stories.

• Giving Tuesday participation: Enhance your brand image by participating in charitable initiatives on Giving Tuesday.

Surprise and Delight Tactics

Creative ways to celebrate customers can build loyalty:

• Send handwritten thank you cards with orders.

• Surprise customers with hidden gift cards in their orders.

• Offer gift-wrapping services for special occasions.

• Feature a customer in a story of the month on your website.

• Hand-deliver orders to local VIP customers and capture the moment for social media!

Next Steps

It's never too early to start planning your promotions. The most successful strategies require thoughtful preparation and clear goals.

Here’s how to get started:

• Review your past promotions: Identify which strategies generated the best results and areas for improvement.

• Set specific goals: Determine whether you want to acquire new customers, increase average order value, or clear inventory.

• Try something new: Choose one new promotional strategy to test.

Whether you opt for strategic discounts, value-based initiatives, or surprise and delight tactics, remember that the most effective promotional strategies align with your business goals and your customers’ needs. By thoughtfully implementing the approaches outlined in this guide, you’ll not only boost immediate sales but also cultivate the kind of customer loyalty that drives long-term growth.

Go further

• Complete guide to gift cards in Shopify

• How Shopify integrations improve your e-commerce